The holiday detritus thread: herein you may discuss the various tchatchkes, mass-produced seasonal foods, bizarre greeting cards and other special items you have received

I got a set of jumper cables, an ice scraper/snow brush, a can of HEET, and some 2-cycle oil.

sweater, socks, $ for laptop, BOTTLE OF VANILLA VODKA (this after years of being guilt-tripped as a potential alcoholic)

if any thing can stop alchoholism it's flavored vodka

http://guitarnoize.com/images/blog/boss_sl20.jpg

I express some interest in learning more about WWI and now suddenly I have FOUR books about the war. Also a DVD of 2001, the No Pussyfooting reissue, an Achewood t-shirt and various other stocking-stuffer things.

Most awesome: I had complained about how cold my right hand got when I was doing stuff on the computer on cold days that involved mousing-and-clicking, so my daughter sewed me what she calls a "hand hoodie" -- elastic wristband, nice warm corduroy cloth that rests over the back of my hand while it's on the mouse. Works really well!

http://www.giftsolutionsbykim.com/2007-Gourmet-Delight.jpg

nom nom nom processed cheese and meat box.

Someone got us a 30 oz tin of

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/thebigblog/library/cheese.jpg

Cougar Gold, a hard cheddar made at Washington State University. It's pretty good.

lol old-fashioned CRACK

crazy/pathetic "happy holidays" letter from my cousin who lives in a kentucky trailer park

^^she puts down our other cousins for living in white-trash florida. OK.

box of petite fours
Michael Chabon's Gentlemen of the Road (2 chapters in...it's fucking great)
coffee mug with a picture of Obama and some doves on it
4 pack of Dogfishhead 120 min IPA
bottle of Faustino I rioja

wait, it took us until 2008, almost 2009, to get a Muomas display name? Good work Nicka.

ha thanks! I almost made it a whole new login but I am lazy.

I totally forgot my sister got me a kickass Cosby sweater. I forgot because I'm wearing it.

BOTTLE OF VANILLA VODKA (this after years of being guilt-tripped as a potential alcoholic)

Me too!

Maybe our friends and families have given up on us.

My uncle-by-undeclared-gay-marriage and I are the only ones who stayed in town for Christmas (we're doing Christmas back home next week cuz y'know family of hospital/retail workers), and he left a gift for me on the counter this morning with a note saying he didn't want me to wake up Christmas morning without a gift.

I thought it would be a "lol I got you this piece of crap at the airport just so you'd have something to unwrap" thing, which I could easily answer with something from the hospital gift shop, but no, it's a very nice and thoughtful tea gift set + gift card.

I am now wracked with guilt.

@ masonic boom and en i see kay - have no shame or guilt. Giving something sincerely & heartfelt when the recipient least expects it *is* the gift for the giver. and @masonic boom, yes! this is exactly what xmas should be about IMO! Good for you for "getting it" it's not just dashing in somewhere (anywhere) and buying something (anything!) in a rush to get it over with and cross someone off the list. I (and most people I have asked), said they would rather get NOTHING than be gifted with some unthinking useless bauble. It isn't the cost of the gift either, it can be a silly trinket, but if it speaks to the recipient, then it's the most valuable thing that could have been given and received.**

**NOTE TO READERS*** have been at a friends drinking champagne and so am all giddy, sappy and know-it-all about xmas, but even 100% sober I really feel this way about the spirit of xmas. (no spirits comments pleez *giggles*) I hate the commercial crappy bigger better more expensive one-up-manship of the holiday. I am a sucker for a gift that has been selected just for me and is obvious that someone knows me or has listened to what I have said or pointed out during the course of the year.

Honestly, I began to think about divorcing my soon-to-be ex-husband after the 4th xmas in a row it was painfully obvious from the gifts he gave me at xmas, that he was clueless about who I am and what I like and wanted. It may sound crazy but I can tell from a gift if someone really knows who I am and gets me.

Dark chocolate covered cherries, stilton and brandy cream all making a showing at various stages the last few days